Running every two years, the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition is being held in Perth in October this year – a first for Western Australia.
The event drew more than 1,000 protestors when it was last held in Melbourne, in 2024, with Victoria Police confirming 33 protestors were arrested while 24 police officers needed medical attention after clashes with protestors.
Despite the protests, the 2024 event drew a sizeable attendance, with 25,675 visitors – up 15 per cent on the 2022 event. The exhibition also grew by almost a third, with 995 exhibitors from 31 countries.
The Victorian Government announced that Melbourne would host the 2028 event last week.
“Investing in defence means more jobs for Victorians – and this event keeps that pipeline growing,” said the state’s defence industry minister, Colin Brooks.
“We are backing the economic opportunities created by Victoria’s defence industry and the 29,000 jobs it supports.”
The last Melbourne iteration of Land Forces was estimated to deliver a $107 million economic return for Victoria.
“We look forward to hosting Land Forces in Melbourne in 2028 as a major national event that showcases Australian capability and supports engagement across defence and industry,” said Justin Giddings, CEO of AMDA Foundation, which runs the event.
“Land Forces is built to support the Australian Defence Force, particularly the Australian Army, by bringing together the people and expertise needed to deliver for Australia.”
